Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostsupwhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Fidostsupwhi’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and early flowering habit; large single-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDOSTSUPWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidostsupwhi’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe program is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum plantsthat are freely branching with numerous inflorescences with unique andattractive ray and disc floret coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor in May, 2008 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis identified as code number O 45710, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number O 67241, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands in October, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands sinceNovember, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this newOsteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fidostsupwhi’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fidostsupwhi’ as a new and distinctOsteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   4. Large single-type inflorescences with white-colored ray        florets.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in ray floret color as plants of the femaleparent selection have bronze-colored ray florets. Plants of the newOsteospermum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selectionin plant habit as plants of the new Osteospermum are more uniform thanplants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum ‘Fidostwhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,548. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Fidostwhi’ ingrowth habit as plants of the new Osteospermum were more vigorous thanplants of ‘Fidostwhi’. In addition, plants of the new Osteospermum havelarger inflorescences than plants of ‘Fidostwhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Osteospermum plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Fidostsupwhi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 13-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Osteospermum production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C.to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. Plantswere pinched one time and were 13 weeks old when the photograph anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostsupwhi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 45710, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 67241, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About twelve days            at 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 14 days at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant            habit; relatively short internodes, dense and bushy growth            habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 22 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching            habit, about five lateral branches develop per plant;            pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About            14 cm to 16 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length:            About 1 cm to 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture:            Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 6 cm to 9 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to            4 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Lobed; serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.            Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:            Close to N137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A;            venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 144B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance and aspect.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences;            inflorescences positioned beyond the foliar plane on            moderately strong peduncles and face mostly upright;            single-type inflorescence form with elliptic to slightly            obovate-shaped ray florets and tubular disc florets; ray and            disc florets developing acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 10 to 40            inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower continuously from spring until first            frost in the autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin            flowering about eight weeks after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—At temperatures of 14° C. to 20°            C., inflorescences last about 2.5 weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds, just prior to anthesis.—Height: About            1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Globular to ovoid.            Color: Close to 137C.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm to 1.5 cm.            Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About            4 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 146A.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 3.7 cm. Width: About            9 mm. Shape: Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex: Rounded to            slightly obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Quantity            per inflorescence and arrangement: About 22 to 26 in one to            two whorls. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to N155D; color does not fade with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to N155D; longitudinal stripes, close to 90B; color            does not fade with development.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular with five pointed apices.            Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc            florets per inflorescence: About 60 to 70. Color, immature:            Apex and mid-section: Close to 71A. Base: Close to 77D.            Color, mature: Apex and mid-section: Close to 71B. Base:            Close to 77D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:            About 12 to 14 in a single whorl. Length: About 8 mm to            9 mm. Width: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 138A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm to 11 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to N77A. Pollen amount: Moderate to            abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on            both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma            shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style length:            About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 79A Ovary color: Close to            N155D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermum plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind    and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named‘Fidostsupwhi’ as illustrated and described.